Greg Foran
, the former head of Woolworths’ food and liquor business, will take on arguably one of the most challenging jobs in the global grocery trade after being appointed to run Walmart’s operations in China.

Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, announced yesterday that Mr Foran, 51, would take the role of president and chief executive of Walmart China from March 1.

His appointment came three months after the departure of Walmart’s former China CEO, Ed Chan, who resigned after a pork labelling scandal forced the retailer to close more than a dozen stores.

China is a strategic growth market for Walmart, but the group has struggled to gain market share and has been hit by a string of executive departures over the last 12 months. Sales in 2010, the last year available, were $US7.5 billion.

Mr Foran resigned from Woolworths last July and left in September after missing out on the chief executive’s job to one of his subordinates, Grant O’Brien.

A protege of former Woolworths CEO Roger Corbett, who sits on the Walmart board, Mr Foran joined the Arkansas-based retailer last October and has been helping to run its international operations.

He has worked in retailing for 30 years, including 10 years at Woolworths, where he served in several senior roles including general manager of Dick Smith, general manager of BIG W and, from 2009 to 2011, head of the supermarket division.

Before joining Woolworths, Mr Foran worked for Franklins and The Warehouse in New Zealand.

Related Quotes

Company Profile

“With his distinguished career in retail, Greg is uniquely qualified to lead our growing business in China," said Scott Price, president and CEO of Walmart Asia.

“I’m very pleased he is bringing his talents to help us continue Walmart’s expansion there and enhance our efforts to help Chinese customers save money so that they can live better," he said.

Mr Foran, a native of New Zealand, said he was honoured to have the privilege to lead Walmart’s business in China and serve its customers there. “China is a very important market for Walmart and I look forward to working with our 100,000 associates," he said.

Walmart entered the Chinese market and opened its first Supercentre and Sam’s Club outlet in Shenzhen in 1996.

It operates a number of formats and banners in China including supercentres, Sam’s Clubs and neighbourhood markets and currently has more than 370 units in 140 cities employing 100,000.

Mr Foran was widely regarded as the most likely candidate to succeed Michael Luscombe, who retired in September after a 30-year career with Woolworths.

However, it is understood that he fell out of favour with the board because he was keen to adopt a more aggressive approach to grocery pricing to fend off Coles.

After his resignation Mr Foran was replaced as head of supermarkets by a Tesco executive, Tjeerd Jegen, who was running Tesco’s operations in Malaysia.

Mr O’Brien and Mr Jegen have since outlined plans to accelerate growth in food sales by doubling the retailer’s private label brands, culling its existing range to clear shelf space for new categories, double the product it sources directly from overseas, increase fresh food sales by at least $2.5 billion and slash its cost of goods by negotiating cheaper prices from suppliers. The moves are aimed at restoring group profit growth to an “aspirational" target of 10 per cent. The moves are aimed at restoring group profit growth to 10 per cent.